Baby Steps
by unolimbo
Summary: KD Sequel to After the Deed... read that first, dudes! I don't want to give anything away here until you read the first story... summary inside! (pg for safety- nothing bad!)
1. Default Chapter

Hello all! This is my sequel to After the Deed, a story that I wrote last spring... you really can't understand this story without reading that one, but hey, if you want to read this one, you should like that one! Basically, Kel got mistakenly pregnant, and had a daughter... and (spoiler, read the first story before you highlight and read this!) got married to Dom.

Well, I decided that I really wanted to write a story about what happened to Kel after she had this child, because I think it could be really interesting, so here I am, writing about it!

Please review, because I will be eternally grateful, and bear with me. This is not my most major story (I do have five other stories that people expect me to update regularly, and I have more homework than I ever have in my entire life) and it, I believe, will be a difficult one. It's going to take a lot of thought to write, because it is about Kel's life after having a child, but it should be really interesting!

Hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of my lowly story- 'cept Mia. She is mine!

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Marriage was not at all as Kel expected. She loved to wake up in the morning and feel Dom's warm breath on her neck; his heavy hand resting across her waist; without wondering what had happened the night before.

Kel was proud of her family. She lived at Mindelan for a time, with Dom at her side, and Mia in her arms. Mia was still very young, and Kel did not wish to move her. Dom understood. He had lived at Mindelan for a long while now, and was willing to wait for his wife and surrogate daughter.

Kel had not even minded being at home, but after a few months of just tending to her daughter, Kel could take no more. She loved raising Mia, and she loved being with Dom, but enough was enough.

She had to get out. She had not done more than a pattern dance with her glaive since she was in Corus, ignoring a few practices she had with her mother. She had barely brandished a sword since everyone had been at Mindelan, and she had not tilted in almost five years.

She was itching for combat.

She had promised herself she wouldn't give it all up. She had promised herself that she would still be a knight, and a damn good one at that. but how was she to be a knight if she had not fought in years? She had always said that a child would not end her career. But it was different now. She could not just run off on quests and throw caution to the wind. She could still fight, but what would happen to Mia if her mother died? Would she be able to live? What about her father? Whether biological or not, Dom was more of a father to Mia than Cleon ever could be. She needed him.

When Domia turned two, Kel made a decision. She was going back to Corus – as long as Dom would agree.

"Why on earth would you want to?" Dom asked when she told him.

Kel sighed. "For one, I need to go back, I can't stay cooped up here. For another reason, though;" she added quickly, "I think the palace would be a good place to grow up. There are many children, and many things to learn."

Dom sighed. "Well, Kel, she is your daughter. It is up to you."

Kel frowned. "That's not right at all!" She cried. "She is your daughter as well, and you are my husband! We will decide together."

She stood up straight. She was not going to budge until Dom made his own decision. How could he expect her to raise her daughter with out his help? If he said this was her decision, what else could he say it about? In amidst her thoughts, Kel felt Dom's hand on hers. She looked at him. "I love Corus, Kel," he said. "And at some point I would like to take you back to my home; whether it is expected of me or not. But you know I would follow you anywhere."

"Is that a yes?"

Dom grinned. "Corus it is," he said. "Besides, I would like to think we would be needed there."

Kel leapt on him. "Thank you!" She cried.

Dom smiled. "Just one thing: I won't have to protect you. You want to go back to all of this, and I am happy to stand beside you, but I won't stand in front of you. Alright?"

Kel nodded quickly. "Of course!" She kissed him. "Thank you, Dom!"

The sun shone brightly on the day of their departure, a sign from the gods. Kel lifted Domia up onto Peachblossom in front of her, and they set off. The road was long and slow, but the weather was fair and warm. Mia enjoyed herself, playing with Jump when they stopped riding. The old dog seemed to understand that Mia was playing, and did not seem to notice when the young girl pulled his tail or hugged him too tightly.

They arrived in Corus in the early evening. Mia was already asleep in Kel's arms. She was glad when they got to Corus. She liked having a room for her and Dom without having Mia sleep in between them because she was scared of the noises in the forest. Kel put Mia to bed in the small room attached to hers that was usually used for squires, and then climbed back into her own bed.

Lying there, staring at the stars out the window, Kel had to wonder what her next adventure would be.

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Okay, I know it's not a very good start, but I plan on making it better – especially when Mia ages a little bit. Who knows, maybe I'll go into her teenagehood and possibly her being a page... like I said, who knows?

Well, please review, and I hope you all enjoyed it. I am excited!

-unolimbo


	2. Corus

Kel woke up early the next morning, as she always had. There was so much to do, so many people to see. When she was younger, she had always told herself she would not settle when she married, that she would always be a knight. In the time since Mia had been born, she had done just that. She had not fought since her daughters conception, she had only practiced since her daughter was born. She was rusty, and glad that she was back and able to do what she had been knighted to do.

She took a bath before she did anything else. She had been travelling for days now, and needed to bathe before she could go out in public. When she emerged from her dressing room, clean and dressed, Dom and Mia were both up. "There's a young girl here who would like to see the palace." Dom said. Mia grinned at her mother.

Kel smiled. "Very well, but you need a bath first. Come on, we will go into your dressing room and give you a bath. And Dom," she said, "you need a bath too. You smell bad."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. We'll bathe."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Mommy!" She cried, "I want to go now!"

Kel frowned and led her daughter into the other room. "I won't be spoken to like that Domia. You'll do as you're told and have a bath."

Mia glared at her mother. "Yes, mother." She said reluctantly.

Kel smiled. "Don't worry, Mia, when we are done, I will show you the palace."

Mia clapped her hands in childish joy and ran into the dressing room.

Mia was forced to wait for her tour once more, as Dom and Kel insisted that they eat before they go on their hunt. "But you said…" Mia began, but quickly stopped when Kel gave her a threatening look.

"A warrior knows to eat before going on any great adventure. And this is certainly a great adventure!" Kel said, scooping her daughter up and carrying her towards the dining hall. "Remember, Mia, you are in the halls of a king. You must respect him and his guard. Stay close to me."

Mia nodded as her mother put her down again. She took her hand as they entered the large dining hall. It was early, and there were few people eating. But they still turned and looked at her as she came in. They were knights, they knew who she was. But Kel held her head high and walked over to a table with her daughter while Dom got them breakfast.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea." Dom said, after Mia was engrossed in her breakfast.

Kel frowned. "Why?"

Dom sighed. "Well, looking around you get thinking. There are no other children here, save for the pages, and they are all about ten years older than Mia. Most knights leave their children at home. That's what Alanna did, that's what every other knight does. Didn't you ever notice that there were no noble children at the Midwinter feasts? There won't be any other children."

Kel shrugged. "There are no children her age at Mindelan any more, either. Are there at Masbolle?"

Dom shook his head with a sigh. "None. It just isn't what's normally done."

Kel smiled. "Dom, when have we ever done anything normal? I was the first girl to become a page – and be allowed to do it, you married even though you're in the King's Own, I had a daughter out of wedlock, and we lived at my manor instead of yours. What difference does it make what everyone else does?"

Dom smiled weakly. "I'm just worrying about Mia's childhood, that's all."

Kel smiled. "She'll be fine, Dom. We aren't going to stay here forever. We can go to Masbolle in a few years, but I want her to know what the palace is like, what it's like to be a noble. I never really knew. I can't teach her."

"What are you talking about?" Dom asked.

Kel shrugged. "You come from an old family, from a ducal house. You know a lot more about being a noble than I do. And while Mia is your daughter, she needs to know how to act like the noble that she is."

Dom shook his head, sighing again. "You are an enigma, Sir Keladry. Just because my family is old doesn't mean that my family is better at being nobles than yours. You are perfectly capable of teaching your daughter. If that is the only reason we are here, we can just go to Masbolle right now."

Kel shook her head. "No, that's not it. Don't worry." She smiled. "Mia, are you done your porridge?"

Mia grinned at her mother. Kel sighed and took a napkin to wipe the young girl's face. "There you are, let's go." She said, picking the girl child off of her seat to begin their tour.

Parody Queen Rora: yay!

Imogenhm: sounds great!

Goddess Usagi: glad you think so!

Alenor: thanks!

Lady of Masbolle: grin. I love it.

Allanalovingwriter: will do.

Laelai: glad you like it!

Daughter-of-faeries: aww, no fluff. Poor babies. It shall come, it shall come!

Dreamerdoll: not quite, I'm afraid. I know how you feel. I feel like I am the first reviewer if I am the first to say something intelligible… :)

PsychoLioness: yeah, she is a little wild… but she's broken in, no worries. (don't worry, I don't actually believe in 'breaking in' children).

BigBigStarr: thanks!

Kat-woman-585: well, I guess I should update then, shouldn't I? Wow. 187 Updates. Do I have to do that many too?

Queenofdiamonds1: thanks!

Allimba: yay!

HeartKel: haha, I like the whistling. What lies in store for our hero on the dark road ahead? Will he find the majestic cheese? Will he eat it? FIND OUT NEXT TIME! I don't know where that came from. I guess it was from the 'cheesy narrator' thing, but I totally just tossed out the majestic cheese thing. Maybe I should write a story with it… :)

Chazza14: ok!

Jamie Lynn: thanks!

Naruke: we've had this talk, I'm not going to respond.

I'm really sorry it took so long, guys, but I haven't known what to do for a really long time. As it is, I don't know what to do – I have part of the stuff written that takes place about two years later, and a bit of the stuff that takes place seven years later, but I don't know what to put in the middle. I mean, I know the basic outline, but that's it. I need to build that up before I can continue. Give me a few weeks, and keep reviewing!

Sorry this chapters so short…

unolimbo


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